Kolkata, Sept. 23 -- After an Indian Express report raised questions over the functioning of the Election Commission's electoral-roll software and internal differences within the poll panel, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for fresh elections in states where she alleged EVMs were "captured or hijacked" and voters were prevented from exercising their rights.
Banerjee demanded that the old voter lists be restored and fresh elections held in states where, she alleged, the electoral process was compromised and voters were prevented from exercising their franchise. "In the states where elections were conducted after EVMs were captured or hijacked and voters were prevented from exercising their rights, fresh elections should be held based on the old voter lists," she said.
In a virtual address, Banerjee alleged that the BJP had won the 2024, 2025 and 2026 elections through the Election Commission and claimed that the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election was also "looted" with the poll panel's help. She also demanded criminal action against Kumar and other officials whom she accused of supporting the alleged manipulation, including Deputy Election Commissioners, IT officials and EROs. "Gyanesh Kumar should be arrested and criminal proceedings should be initiated against him," she said. Banerjee said the impeachment notice against the CEC had already been rejected and argued that the matter now required criminal action.
Referring to the electoral-roll revision in Bengal, Banerjee claimed that 58 lakh voters were initially affected, 27 lakh names were subsequently excluded and another seven lakh deleted, taking the total to 92 lakh. She alleged that EC IT official Seema Khanna had used AI in the process and said Abhishek Banerjee had first raised questions over her role. Banerjee also alleged that "counting was hijacked by the BJP" and demanded that those responsible for the alleged manipulation be arrested.
She said her party had raised concerns about the electoral process months before the election.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee, who returned to Kolkata after a medical check-up in the US, said a Look Out Circular should be issued against Gyanesh Kumar to prevent him from leaving the country. He alleged that Kumar manipulated the voter list "on behalf of the BJP" and "stole the elections", and demanded his arrest.
Mamata Banerjee also said a nationwide movement demanding action against the Election Commission would emerge soon and called on regional parties and INDIA bloc leaders to unite in the campaign.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.